The assembly’s political leaders agreed Thursday in their Conference of Presidents meeting to give Schulz the mandate to invite Cameron.

“We will do it the same way as we invite other prime ministers,” said Jaume Duch Guillot, a spokesman for the European Parliament. “The president will phone him, ask him if he’s ready to come and they will decide how they will do it.”

The idea of inviting Cameron came initially from Guy Verhofstadt, head of the Parliament’s centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, who wrote Schulz last month with the suggestion.

“The resolution of the U.K. problem concerning the current treaties and the danger of Brexit are still significant,” Verhofstadt wrote. “Yet nowhere is a public and transparent debate being held.”

Cameron has been meeting with European leaders to explain his views on a reformed relationship with the U.K., which include giving more powers for national parliaments to block proposed EU legislation and curbs on immigration.

Asked last week about the possible invitation, a spokesman for Cameron said: “Since the election the PM has spoken with the 27 other EU leaders, as well as senior figures from the European Parliament and other institutions, about his plans for renegotiation. Discussions will continue over the coming months and any invitation will be dealt with in the usual way.”

Cameron has promised that Britain will hold a national referendum before the end of 2017 on the country’s EU membership, but many observers now believe the vote will be held next year.